Narrative:

Student and I (instructor) departed dtk (oakland - pontiac) airport at XA15 local with a confirmed 3.5-4 hours of fuel on board a C-177B with 60 gallon tanks. After doing basic climbs, dscnts and private maneuvers from 3000-7500, we descended to an unpopulated area to do ground reference maneuver, turns around a point and rectangular course at 1000 ft AGL (1900 MSL). After 3 rectangular courses and 2 turns around a point, the engine sputtered and stopped. I (the instructor) took the controls, did a quick engine re-start and headed to my emergency landing site. I used an untraveled (at the time) dirt road underneath our maneuver area. I shut the plane down after assured of the landing and landed. The aircraft was undamaged and no persons ground or aircraft were hurt (injured). As the fire department arrived, we moved the aircraft off the road for safety reasons. The FAA was notified and we waited for the police and FAA arrival. When the police arrived, they filled their reports and confirmed no injuries or accidents or damage. A local resident 1.5 mi away had a grass runway and suggested we use it to take off. The police relayed this information to the FAA, they authorized the aircraft to be moved and after receiving 17 gallons of fuel, a complete preflight and static run-up, we decided a takeoff could be made safely from the 2000 ft grass strip. The FAA did not come to the incident site. A safe takeoff was made. We flew to port huron (st. Clair phn) airport, refueled completely and flew back to ptk (oakland, pontiac). My best reasoning is that the fuel drainer knob became ajar in flight and fuel drained.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENG QUIT DURING STUDENT DUAL TRAINING FLT RESULTING IN AN OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG. THERE WERE NO ACFT DAMAGE OR INJURIES.

Narrative: STUDENT AND I (INSTRUCTOR) DEPARTED DTK (OAKLAND - PONTIAC) ARPT AT XA15 LCL WITH A CONFIRMED 3.5-4 HRS OF FUEL ON BOARD A C-177B WITH 60 GALLON TANKS. AFTER DOING BASIC CLBS, DSCNTS AND PVT MANEUVERS FROM 3000-7500, WE DSNDED TO AN UNPOPULATED AREA TO DO GND REF MANEUVER, TURNS AROUND A POINT AND RECTANGULAR COURSE AT 1000 FT AGL (1900 MSL). AFTER 3 RECTANGULAR COURSES AND 2 TURNS AROUND A POINT, THE ENG SPUTTERED AND STOPPED. I (THE INSTRUCTOR) TOOK THE CTLS, DID A QUICK ENG RE-START AND HEADED TO MY EMER LNDG SITE. I USED AN UNTRAVELED (AT THE TIME) DIRT ROAD UNDERNEATH OUR MANEUVER AREA. I SHUT THE PLANE DOWN AFTER ASSURED OF THE LNDG AND LANDED. THE ACFT WAS UNDAMAGED AND NO PERSONS GND OR ACFT WERE HURT (INJURED). AS THE FIRE DEPT ARRIVED, WE MOVED THE ACFT OFF THE ROAD FOR SAFETY REASONS. THE FAA WAS NOTIFIED AND WE WAITED FOR THE POLICE AND FAA ARR. WHEN THE POLICE ARRIVED, THEY FILLED THEIR RPTS AND CONFIRMED NO INJURIES OR ACCIDENTS OR DAMAGE. A LCL RESIDENT 1.5 MI AWAY HAD A GRASS RWY AND SUGGESTED WE USE IT TO TAKE OFF. THE POLICE RELAYED THIS INFO TO THE FAA, THEY AUTHORIZED THE ACFT TO BE MOVED AND AFTER RECEIVING 17 GALLONS OF FUEL, A COMPLETE PREFLT AND STATIC RUN-UP, WE DECIDED A TKOF COULD BE MADE SAFELY FROM THE 2000 FT GRASS STRIP. THE FAA DID NOT COME TO THE INCIDENT SITE. A SAFE TKOF WAS MADE. WE FLEW TO PORT HURON (ST. CLAIR PHN) ARPT, REFUELED COMPLETELY AND FLEW BACK TO PTK (OAKLAND, PONTIAC). MY BEST REASONING IS THAT THE FUEL DRAINER KNOB BECAME AJAR IN FLT AND FUEL DRAINED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.